Kelly's POV
On the day of our trip, I arrived at the private tarmac earlier than instructed, mostly because I hadn’t slept much the night before and staying still in my apartment had felt unbearable.
The address Claire sent didn’t look like an airport in the way I understood airports. There were no crowds, no lines, no rolling suitcases bumping into ankles. Just a wide stretch of concrete behind a guarded gate, quiet in a way that felt intentional.
A uniformed attendant checked my name on a tablet and waved me through with a polite nod. That alone made my stomach tighten. I wasn’t used to being expected anywhere like this.
I stood near the edge of the tarmac, my one suitcase at my feet, the early morning air cool enough to prickle my skin. Somewhere behind me, a jet engine hummed sof
